Peeping Tom? Nope. Peeper Ale!

The Maine Beer Co. is based out of Portland and is a very young company. It was started by two brothers, David and Daniel Kleban, who began their brewing career experimenting in a garage. Their goal: to make something they would be happy drinking themselves.

It was one cold winter in that unheated garage when they got their brew to the point where they felt it was good enough to share. At that point, they moved to their current brewing location (complete with heat) and began producing their beer on a slightly (but only slightly) larger scale.

Given their initial motivation for brewing, it’s not so surprising that their beers taste amazing. They do not restrict themselves to one style of beer, leaving the playing field wide open. What all their beers have in common, however, is the fact that they’re bottle conditioned. This means a little bit of sediment at the bottom of each bottle but it also means a whole lot of flavor.

The brothers’ Peeper Ale is crisp, golden and hoppy. I like Peeper Ale because it reminds me of the first hot weekend morning in summer and you find yourself waking up early to go fishing. Later on, it’s playing wiffle ball and grilling with friends. The beer is refreshing, yes, and easy to drink, but the depth of flavor makes it one to savor and consider and take your time with, while you get to work at the grill — a sausage, for sure, or better with that trout you caught this morning.

Talk about serendipity! I just posted a review of this beer last week AND I just shared a bottle with my neighbor this past Sudsy Sunday night. Your assessment is 100% accurate!

I first had this beer at When Pigs Fly Pizzeria and Bakery in Kittery 2.5 weeks ago. It was love at first sip! Had it with a Speck, Mozzarella, Jalapeno, and Pineapple pizza, and they made beautiful music together. I then had it on two more occasions in Maine while eating lobster, and once again, it was simply delicious. This is one of the best and most refreshing Pale Ales that I’ve ever had (dare I say perfectly balanced?). It’s a notch or two above Dale’s Pale Ale and Great Lakes Burning River (two of my all time favorites prior to the Peeper).

FYI, we also had the Lunch IPA on Sunday along with a Rising Tide Ursa Minor. More great stuff from Maine! In total, I bought 14 different big bottle New England beers during our vacation, and so far, I’m batting 1,000!